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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27178600">Tinker, Tailor, SOLDIER, Spy</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/sanctum_c/pseuds/sanctum_c'>sanctum_c</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Endless Summer 2019 - Zerith Flavor [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Final Fantasy VII (Video Game 1997)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M, Fighting Monsters, Fights, Intervention, Midgar (Compilation of FFVII), Monsters, Not Before Crisis (Compilation of FFVII) Compliant, Not Compilation of Final Fantasy VII Compliant, Not Crisis Core (Compilation of FFVII) Compliant, Not Dirge of Cerberus (Compilation of FFVII) Compliant, Not Final Fantasy VII Remake Compliant, POV Aerith Gainsborough, Pre-Canon, Pre-Final Fantasy VII, Protectiveness, Rescue, Shinra Company, Spying, Surveillance, Turks (Compilation of FFVII), Zack is a terrible spy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2019-06-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2019-06-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 07:42:11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>945</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27178600</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/sanctum_c/pseuds/sanctum_c</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>Somewhere along the line, a black-haired SOLDIER received orders to keep an eye on her. This was new and concerning. For the most part if was Tseng or Rude. For reasons never clear, it seemed paramount she return to Shinra of her own free will – hence Tseng’s irregular visits and attempts to appeal to her better judgement.</i>
</p><hr/><p>Aeris is used to the Turks keeping an eye on her. The black-haired SOLDIER is something new.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Zack Fair/Aerith Gainsborough</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Endless Summer 2019 - Zerith Flavor [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1983850</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>9</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Tinker, Tailor, SOLDIER, Spy</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Written for the prompt '“Rumor has it I make you nervous.”'</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Somewhere along the line, a black-haired SOLDIER received orders to keep an eye on her. This was new and concerning. For the most part if was Tseng or Rude. For reasons never clear, it seemed paramount she return to Shinra of her own free will – hence Tseng’s irregular visits and attempts to appeal to her better judgement.</p><p>As if she could ever acquiesce to such a request. But there was doubt there, something not gelling. Why was the invitation extended? Unless her mother had lied for as long as she had known her, Shinra offered them her no choice when she was under their control. Nor had they taken their escape well – something Aeris remembered all too well.</p><p>Perhaps some shifting of power within the company? Hojo no longer untouchable or his decisions unquestionable? Perhaps a different focus? Or to lull her into a false sense of security. The Turks had blended into the background of her life; if she was feeling sufficiently petty, Aeris made a point to wave if not try and sell them flowers. Rude sometimes bought some; Tseng tended to move on hastily. A norm. The SOLDIER was something new. And perhaps a different tactic. The nature and skills of SOLDIERs were not entirely clear, but it was unlikely she could do anything if he decided she was to go back involuntarily.</p><p>He kept his distance as befitted a new spy, but - unlike the Turks - made a blatant, if token, effort to blend in with his surroundings. The Mako ring in his pupils would be blatant enough, though if he successfully hid them, he still ferried around an absurd training sword as seen in recruitment videos for the division. A few weeks of the SOLDIER taking turns in the spying rotation with the rest of the Turks (did they resent his presence? Was he part of some power-play within Shinra? Had the Turks requested his help?) and she did not notice him so much.</p><p>A quick chiding. That was dangerous. Let them become part of every-day life and she would stop paying so much attention. Then they could strike. Keep on noting their presence. Maybe expect it, maybe not worry if they were out of position, but at least note all those keeping an eye on her. And perhaps the SOLDIER would buy some flowers. How well paid were they? Interesting question. All the adverts made a thing about duty and loyalty and glory, but precious little on active material gains. Maybe everyone who joined up was content to have over-developed strength and supernaturally good low-light vision.</p><p>On the SOLDIER’s next surveillance day she wandered right towards him, the frown on his face shifting to full-blown panic when he realised how close she was. He took off at a brisk pace, head jerking involuntarily when she called out to see if he wanted a flower. He upped his pace and vanished off into the slums. Curious. She repeated the same tactic twice more before he learned and remained wary, quick to flee if she came too close.</p><p>Toying with SOLDIERs was fun. Over time he seemed to become more responsible for keeping an eye on her. But not in the sense of some kind of detective or spy; she knew who he was and he was well aware of that. He tagged along when she took a train up the Upper Plate, ensuring he was at least two carriages away from her. If she ever felt particularly vindictive (could happen on a bad day), she might pursue him to the last carriage and leave him trapped with no escape. Another time maybe.</p><p>She kept him on his toes for the next month and got on with her life. He was much like the Turks; attention focused on her. Perhaps what lead to the change. The Turks, while ever watchful, could cope in the slums. The SOLDIER was not trained in the same kind of spycraft. It took some time for the background noise to make sense. The odd growl of some monster in the slums was much like anything else; an every-day hazard she spent little time worrying about.</p><p>But this growl was aggressive and close at hand. Aeris gripped her staff closer. The monster, whatever it was, lay on the other side of a trash pile. An impact and something tumbled over the barrier to sink deep into the ground nearby. A SOLDIER training sword. Likely his. The SOLDIER was in danger. Life in the slums held to the typical conviction that heads should stay down and survival was paramount. This went doubly if any Shinra employee suffered a monster attack. She should walk on.</p><p>Instead, Aeris skirted around the trash. The black-haired SOLDIER sprawled on his back, his hands grasping the creature’s neck, keeping its snapping jaws away. Perhaps it had surprised him. Perhaps he was more of a rookie than expected. Maybe thrown out of SOLDIER? In any case, legendary SOLDIER strength had not granted him an easy escape from his current predicament.</p><p>What was she doing? Helping out someone in need. Aeris darted forward, staff brought down onto the creature’s back. That got its attention, the SOLDIER now forgotten in favour of a new, brighter-coloured morsel. Remain calm. Remember Mom’s lessons. The creature lunged and Aeris cracked it on the side of its head. Another snarl, another lunge and another metallic clunk when her staff made contact. It snarled once more and darted backward when she swept her staff down in a wide arc. Another gesture and the creature fled into the shadows.</p><p>Aeris reached down to the SOLDIER. “Hi. Rumour has it I make you nervous.”</p>
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